For Your Information

Recent bullet points of local information you might want to know, but may have missed:

In Licking County, Sean Fennell defeated Jim Amore in what sadly turned out to be a divisive primary campaign for an open council seat. Also, the voters of Licking County rejected a property tax increase proposed by the County Commissioners to pay for the 911 center so as to free up money for an unspecified set of priorities. The County Auditor had opposed it, and it looks like most of the voters took his side.

For us progressives, we decided to hone in on an effort to get a measure on the 2017 or 2018 ballot which would end gerrymandering of congressional districts. Sadly, the summary submitted to the state Attorney General for approval to circulate statewide – which itself required quite a few signatures – was rejected, so this has to go back to the drawing board.

Following the Republican House of Representative’s approval of the AHCA – which is meant to repeal the Affordable Care Act and destroy Medicaid as we know it -, Congressman Pat Tiberi is wearing his vote in favor as a badge of honor. Meanwhile, he continues to ignore calls for him to hold a town hall event, opting instead for telephone “town halls” where he can censor constituents with ease.